White Flower
by Meomi
Summary: Wai. Add humor in there too :3 || Aeris is resurrected in the Capitol; nobody knows she's alive again. How will she find the man that touched her fragile heart in no way anyone else could?
1. Ressurection

White Flower  
  
my fragile tears f a l l i n g like petals onto water  
chp. I  
resurrection  
  
*  
  
Such an inky blackness hid her from the world, dulled senses barely managing to hear the whispered words amongst other souls. Everything seemed such a pure green.; her eyes barely rivaled the color. Naught but a memory was left on The Planet of this young woman; such a sad fate had befallen her.  
  
Her scroll of destiny was unfinished, dropping off abruptly at her 'death'. Maybe she was to continue her life, she mused, twirling around. She cupped the green liquid and flung it off to be swallowed back with its others. She smiled.  
  
She was going to go back.  
  
*  
  
A small group was gathered at a particular place, bowing their heads in remorse. They consisted of a blonde young man, a busty young woman, a lithe teenager, a shadowy-looking man, an odd cat-like robot, a lion-like animal, and a dark, stout man. They all looked rather mournful, especially the blonde and the brunette beside him. Their hands were clasped together, as if they felt they would sink into the holy waters around them if they let go.  
  
The blonde removed something from his pocket: a pearly, white orb, which he kissed gently. It was of much importance to this group; the brunette woman began to weep in silence. Without another thought, the man did what the group had come to do; he threw the Holy Materia back into the waters whence it came, creating a graceful arc of water to come out from where it sunk.  
  
With only a sad look, the group turned their heads, aside from the vampiric youth. He observed the waters as his companions stalked out silently, and he alone noticed the subtle glow from the area. He dared not to tell his allies though; they'll find out soon enough, he thought as he marched back to them.  
  
The water bubbled as he left.  
  
*  
  
She awoke to find herself just where she had been last. Her clothes were heavy with water, and her hair hung like wet rope on her back. With all this weight on her, her knees buckled and she fell forwards. She managed to brace herself, and pull herself up again. The haunting emptiness of the temple troubled her. Weren't her friends here? Hadn't they known she had been brought back?  
  
She sat down on the steps, tilting to her head to rethink her situation. She was alive and well, aside the persistent pain in her chest and lungs, and she was the same as before. She stood up. "Time's a-wasting," she proclaimed to herself. "I best start searching for my comrades."  
  
She began to walk out of the temple. Her thoughts on only one though: a certain, melancholy ex-SOLDIER who had managed to grasp her heart and never return it.  
  
*  
  
Rain fell heavily upon Costa Del Sol. Cloud looked out at the bleak weather with distaste, trying to drown out the sounds of drunkards yelling gleefully. Bumbling fools, he thought acidly. Don't they ever think of how harsh reality is? Don't they realize their greatest comrade is DEAD? He glared briefly at Cid and Barrett, both drunk as heck.  
  
"Cloud," a silken voice said from behind, and he turned to Tifa. She was as beautiful as ever, he admitted. He had always known Tifa was beautiful, perhaps even more so than Aeris. He was even bold enough to acknowledge he was attracted to her. But attraction was passion; love was . . . well, love.  
  
Tifa bent down playfully, cleverly pulling back the thick strands of hair behind her in a loose ponytail. She had changed her clothing since the destruction of Meteor; she wore a black shirt, looser than the one before, even though they were of the same length. Her mini-skirt had been exchanged for denim shorts, which were beginning to thread at the hem. She smiled cheerily, her crimson eyes sparkling.  
  
"Want a drink?" she asked, causing him to scowl. He didn't want to believe even SHE didn't notice the date. It had been exactly one year since Aeris was . . . dead. He fought back a cry, and an animal noise, some sort of strangled gurgle, escaped his throat.  
  
Tifa looked at him amusingly, then grinned. "Oh, come off it, Cloud," she chortled, lazily placing a hand on his shoulder. She had that grin on; the one that said "oh, cloud, for me?" and she continued to keep that expression, boring a hole through the thick wall Cloud had put up that night. He looked at her with a softened gaze, and nodded. "Just one shot, though," he muttered as she poured him some alcohol.  
  
"Whatever you say," she responded, and she left him as he sipped that glass of pure forgetfulness and sin. Cloud didn't want to care anymore, but he did. It's not like he had a choice.  
  
You don't choose the one you love.  
  
*  
  
She sat in the church, watching the living flowers with surprised eyes. She had thought they would be dead, but it seemed as if someone had been taking care of them. How curious, she mused, stroking a petal with a ghostly white finger. How very curious indeed.  
  
A crash from above alerted her attention, and she felt de ja vu sink into her like a dead weight. A pair of twenty-somethings fell from the ceiling, obviously falling from the large hole in the roof. One had long, brown hair, and scrunched up her face to brace herself for the fall. The other had untamed blonde locks, and he fell down quickly, and landed neatly on his feet. He turned.  
  
She gasped.  
  
The brunette screamed.  
  
"What in the..." the blonde managed to say. "Tifa, is that...?"  
  
"It can't be," Tifa responded, her throat sore from her scream.  
  
The flower girl didn't know what to do. "Cloud? ... Tifa?"  
  
"Aeris?" Cloud responded in the same questioning tone. "This isn't a dream, is it?"  
  
"...No, it isn't," Aeris replied softly, reaching out to touch him, any part of him, to show she was alive and well, aside from her amazing paleness.  
  
He shrunk back from her caress, and narrowed his eyes. "... No. You're not Aeris. Aeris is dead."  
  
"Cloud-" Aeris began, before Tifa cut her off. "You are not Aeris. Aeris died right in front of us!"  
  
"You filthy, lying impostor," Cloud seethed, glowering. "How dare you impersonate her! How dare you!"  
  
Aeris felt small and weak, and she subconsciously sat on the flowers, hugging her knees to her chest. She looked confused; why aren't they believing me, she wondered.  
  
"I'm leaving. If I see you here again, I'll personally kill you," he muttered, brushing himself off. Tifa mimicked, and glared at Aeris.  
  
"So get out as soon as you can," Cloud advised without a second glance as he left, Tifa on his side.  
  
Aeris was left to collect in the crushed flowers, and to cry silently as the people she missed the most left her alone again.  
  
*  
  
PREVIEW OF NEXT CHAPTER: Aeris is still alone, but one night at a bar changes everything. It seems one part of the team believes she's alive, but he is not willing to help her. How is Aeris going to talk him into it? And what if Cloud manages to believe her? Will his trust make the others believe her too?  
  
Author's Note: Wow! First chapter is done. I personally like this story. It's original; I mean, all those Aeris resurrection stories have her immediately welcomed. Don't you think they would be suspicious? I do. I mean, it's only human nature. Sorry for making Tifa and Cloud seem so mean; believing someone is posing as one of their dead best friend's is actually quite straining, especially if that person was someone extremely special. 


	2. unforgettable

White Flower  
  
catch me as i f a l l  
chp. ii  
unforgettable  
  
*  
  
The nights of summer were heavy and humid, but he liked it that way. It was easier to remain quiet and invisible when it was like that; in his thinking, to keep people from discovering his true monstrosity. He was thirsty as he settled down into the velveteen barstools of The Lazy Wench, a popular tavern near the Costa Del Sol. It had just recently opened, yet the place was packed.  
  
A thin, twitchy-looking girl walked to him, her blue eyes batting outrageously. She was dressed in the scandalous uniform for the waitresses': a white, linen shirt with a dangerously low neckline, a black corset-type thing tied over, and a burgundy skirt that barely touched the thighs.  
  
"What'll you be drinking, sirreh?" she drawled, lazily sketching pictures into the dark wood of the counter with her polished fingers. He looked at her blankly, then answered in his soft voice, "A bloody mary."  
  
"Good choice, sirreh," she grinned as she began to mix the drinks. He watched her without much interest, and she slid the finished drink into his hands. He drank from it slowly, keeping his eyes on the too-fast clock hanging above the waitress's head. 11 o' clock, it read. He had a lot of time to kill.  
  
*  
  
She had managed to get this far. She looked at the gold chocobo which was resting next to her. She had managed to steal it and get away. She giggled softly. She was beginning to become like Yuffie; how she wished to see how that girl had grown! She sighed, then looked up. A glowing sign read "The Lazy Wench", and the outline of a nude woman glowed next to it. She wrinkled her nose in distaste.  
  
"How disgusting," she thought as she tied up the sleeping chocobo. "Well, I don't have much of a choice; I need food."  
  
She tentatively pushed open the heavy, wooden door, and found dozens of male eyes focus on her. They traced the line of her leg up to her thigh, where she had kept it buttoned. They studied her, then let out secret glances to one another. Except for one man.  
  
This man looked oddly familiar; he was dressed in a crimson cloak and black clothing, and a red bandana was tied carelessly, to keep his long, raven hair from falling into his face, which it did anyways. He seemed oddly interested in his drink, but he eventually looked up. His eyes were coal black, and so... so... indifferent. He seemed so familiar!  
  
After a moment of thinking, she gasped.  
  
*  
  
Vincent looked up at the girl everyone was gasping at, and the faintest twinkle could've been spotted in his eyes. Yet, it disappeared as quickly as it had come, and the usual stoic expression was back. Personally, he wasn't surprised; he had been suspecting Aeris was back.  
  
"Vincent," she managed to say, walking over slowly to him. The eyes darted to him, and they glowered as he received the attention of the prettiest creature in their vicinity. She settled into an empty seat next to him, and smiled. "How good it is to see you."  
  
"Ditto," he muttered, taking another long draught of his drink. He glanced at the woman beside him; her green eyes still sparkled. But her expression looked confused.  
  
"You really believe it's me?" she questioned, placing a pale, soft hand on his arm. He acted like he didn't hear her, taking another long drink of his Bloody Mary, but he nodded afterwards.  
  
"The others don't," she said miserably, looking down. He studied her in silence; he had never really taken a liking to Aeris, although he acknowledged she was 'supposedly' a beautiful, charming creature. Yet he could see why Cloud loved her; she was insanely lovable, and it made him suspicious.  
  
"Why?" he asked slowly. His usual silence was fading away as some curiosity took over. He took some more of his drink, then his eyes darted to a waitress. She came and filled his glass again, and he drank once more.  
  
"I have no idea. I thought they'd be happy to see me," she answered, then she sniffed. Her eyes had grown watery, and a few tears fell down her cheeks. Vincent acted as if he hadn't been listening to her, and he gave her no answer.  
  
"Vincent, help me please!" she pleaded. "They'll believe you; you only speak unless it's insanely important! Please, I beg of you!" She looked at him with such sad, pathetic eyes.  
  
"No," he said simply, finishing his second glass. "I won't help you."  
  
"Why?" she asked, fairly angry. Why shouldn't he help her?  
  
"Because it isn't my way," he responded, getting up from the counter. He gave her one look before he left. "I'm... sorry."  
  
Aeris glared at him. She offered no response.  
  
He sighed and left.  
  
*  
  
"Hmph," she snorted, watching him leave. "Fine. Be that way, Vincent Valentine."  
  
She twirled around in the barstool, stamping her feet suddenly on the ground. She sprang up, glaring at the lustful eyes that watched her, then exited the tavern. She looked to her side, where she had tied up the gold chocobo.  
  
It wasn't there.  
  
Panic struck her like a dead weight; here she was, stranded in a familiar- yet-unfamiliar place. She had no food, no money, no place to stay. She silently cursed the gods and all that controlled anything, and sat down on the curb, her expression that of an angry, bratty, snot-nosed child deprived of something they wanted.  
  
"This isn't fair!" she yelled out into the night, balling her hands into fists. "For god's sake, I don't even have my staff!" She made a little, whining noise, then buried her head in her hands.  
  
"Hey, miss," a cool voice said as she whined to herself. She looked up. The man narrowed his eyes.  
  
*  
  
"Oh. You again," Cloud muttered to the 'impostor' Aeris, who nervously began to fiddle with the hem of her dress. "I thought I told y-"  
  
"You told me to leave the church," she said calmly. "So I did. But may I ask one question?"  
  
Cloud looked at her distressingly. However, he relented. "Fine. Hurry up."  
  
"Who was caring for the flowers?"  
  
"..." he responded. He looked at her quietly, then softened his hard gaze. "... I was."  
  
Aeris fought back the urge to ask why, and stared at him in wonderment. Cloud had matured during the year she was gone; his body, still slightly muscled and slim, had become much more manly, and he was taller by at least three inches. His blonde hair had grown out slightly, and several strands brushed the beginning of his back.  
  
"... Remember that date we had at the Golden Saucer?" she began, standing up. This caught his attention, and he turned to her. He looked as if he was disbelieving.  
  
"Yes," was his meek reply.  
  
"We were the 100th couple," she said dreamily, gazing off into the darkness of an ally. "And when the play ended... you kissed my hand." She smiled, slightly blushing at the memory. Her remembering these things, only things Aeris knew of, made him think: what if Aeris was back? He smiled.  
  
"And Cait Sith..." she continued. "He said we were perfect for each other." She blushed deeply, then gazed into his eyes. "You do remember, Cloud?"  
  
"...Yes, I do," he replied softly.  
  
"You should," she teased daringly. "You are my bodyguard, after all."  
  
Cloud slightly flushed. "Aeris... I'm sorry for not believing you."  
  
Aeris turned to him, with that innocent smile she always had. The same one she had when she had been stabbed through the stomach by Sephiroth. Such a clean cut too; a lot of skill was shown in her murder. She dismissed these memories. "You don't need to be sorry," she said quietly.  
  
"Aeris," he whispered and he outstretched his arms, grasping her close to him. She was shocked, very shocked, to find herself in the strong arms of her handsome Cloud Strife! Yet she didn't argue, and buried her head in his chest. He looked down, resting his head upon the top of hers, and smelling her hair: mimosa.  
  
They stayed like that a long time.  
  
*  
  
PREVIEW OF THE NEXT CHAPTER: Cloud brings Aeris back to the hotel. Tifa doesn't believe Aeris is back, and attempts to get Cloud to realize the supposed 'truth'. When her plan spills back on her, she breaks down and runs away. Aeris, worried about her best friend, follows her, with Cloud by her side. But what they find is not exactly pleasing.  
  
Author's Note: Yay! I finished the second chapter! Happy dance for me. Anyways, I hope you're enjoying my story so far. My only wish is to make you happy. And for extremely slow ones, this story is a continuation of sorts for Final Fantasy 7, except the bad guy ain't as bad as he seems. Oops! I just revealed something. Well, got to go! Byesies! 


	3. broken up

White Flower  
  
run away to find the truth  
chp. iii  
broken up  
  
*  
  
"Where is he?" Tifa asked irritably. She was sitting on the couch, her knees tucked into her chest, and her head resting on top of her knees. Her long, loose, dark brown hair flowed over her shoulders in cascades of dark chocolate. She glared at the man across the coffee table, as if insisting he knew all the answers.  
  
The man sighed, kneading his, large, callused hands together. His skin was the color of cocoa mix, and his buzz cut was growing out. Yet he remained the same, drunken Barrett, even as he gazed at the twenty-one-year-old across.  
  
"I don't know, Tifa," he said, eyes downcast. The clock read 3:30 AM. Even Vincent had been home by 2:00; proof of this was that Yuffie had found him in a collapsed, drunken stupor on the front porch. He now was in bed, occasionally grunting as his hangover took over. Yuffie and Cait Sith had offered to care for him.  
  
"He better be home soon," Tifa continued, grumbling. Cid, who was sitting next to Barrett, rolled his eyes in annoyance. He was still the same: cursing, drinking, yelling. His looks hadn't changed much, aside the obvious droop of his skin. Old age had finally reached him, and his blonde- ish hair was finally turning white, much to the amusement of Yuffie.  
  
"You're sounding like he's your boyfriend," piped a cheery voice. Yuffie popped out of Vincent's room, reaching for a paper towel, and wiping the back of her neck. She was taller than she had been before, making her a proud height of 5'4. She stood confidently, her hands protected in thin, leather gloves. She wore a khaki skirt with her green tanktop, and her white strip of cloth was sliding down her head, pressing her boyish haircut to her glistening forehead.  
  
Barrett snorted, suppressing guffaws, and Cid smiled, lighting another cigarette. Tifa glared briefly at Yuffie, who cheekily grinned, bounding over with great flounce. She skipped over the table, did a quick twirl in the air, and landed neatly on her bottom, next to Tifa. This managed to make Tifa smile.  
  
"Don't worry," Yuffie continued. "He'll probably be home soon! Why I bet he's on his way no-"  
  
Her sentence was cut off by the ding-dong of the doorbell. The group rushed to the door. Tifa attempted to unlocked as quickly as she could, but she was still not fast enough to please the group. After suffering from their yelling, she thrust the door open, revealing Cloud and... Aeris.  
  
*  
  
Yuffie squealed in excitement. "Aeris! Aeris!" she exclaimed, leaping to grasp the girl in a hug. She toppled over with their weight, landing on the pavement outside. She laughed as Yuffie began to ramble on and on. "Calm down, Yuffie!"  
  
"Aeris, you're back," Barrett said gruffly, grinning ever so slightly. "How'd it happen?"  
  
"I-I don't know," she admitted between Yuffie's giggles. "All I know is that I ended up on the altar."  
  
"What the #$@%!" was Cid's charming words of greeting, the look of amazement never leaving his face.  
  
"You're not Aeris!" Tifa cried, lunging at her. "Yuffie, get off! That's not Aeris!"  
  
"What are you talking about, Tifa?" Yuffie asked quizzically. "Aeris is right here. It's a miracle!"  
  
"Tifa, calm down! I didn't believe at first either, but it's her!" Cloud consoled, resting a hand on Tifa's shoulder. She shrugged it off angrily.  
  
"Yo-You've done something to them!" she hissed at Aeris. "Aeris is DEAD! DEAD! I know she is!"  
  
"Tifa..." Aeris said quietly.  
  
"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!" she shrilled, running inside. She slammed the door.  
  
"Well, that went nicely," Barrett said.  
  
*  
  
How could they believe that tramp? Aeris was dead, and that was the end of it! Tifa sniffed at the thoughts of her best friend. How come this happened? Who cares if it looks like Aeris, it most certainly isn't! She gritted her teeth.  
  
She rounded the corner. Vincent, slightly dizzy from his hangover, peered out. Tifa failed to notice him. He walked out, shirtless, glancing carelessly at Tifa. "She is back," he said. Tifa turned around and glowered.  
  
"Oh, no," she wailed. "Not you too!"  
  
"You're just afraid," he told her. "Afraid she'll steal Cloud from you again."  
  
"So what!" she spat angrily. "So what if I'm scared? Maybe I don't want to believe my best friend is back!"  
  
"You don't think of her as your best friend," he responded quietly. "Not with all this hate in your heart."  
  
"Well, it's true! She may think of me as a best friend, but I can't! She's always been happier than me, despite all that's happened to her! And look at me! I've been unhappy, despite the fact I have everything I need!"  
  
She huffed angrily, walking up to Vincent. He merely watched her with his smoldering eyes. "You can't let hate consume you like this, Tifa. You'll become like me." He laughed a little, hollow laugh, and walked back into his room.  
  
Tifa was rendered speechless.  
  
*  
  
Dinner was unusually quiet. They all felt uneasy with Aeris there, except Yuffie. She chattered on senselessly to Aeris's deaf ears, pausing to catch her breath, then restarting again. Aeris merely picked at her food, stealing glances at Tifa and Cloud. They too were also thinking deeply, but about different things.  
  
"Remember that time we went to Don Corneo's?" Tifa asked, trying to test Aeris.  
  
"Why, yes!" she said. "How could I ever forget!" She giggled slightly, and Cloud blushed.  
  
"That dress you wore was gorgeous," Tifa continued. "What color was it?"  
  
"Ooo," Aeris said, thinking. "It was a deep wine red."  
  
Damn, Tifa thought. Another question. "Who killed you?"  
  
"Well, Sephiroth," Aeris replied. "But he was possessed by JENOVA, correct?"  
  
Tifa grumbled. "And remember what Cait Sith said about you and Cloud?"  
  
Aeris blushed the deepest red. "... He said we were perfect for each other."  
  
Cloud slightly choked on his food, and Cait Sith nodded affirmatively. Tifa narrowed her eyes. "He did not say that."  
  
"Oh yes I did!" Cait Sith cried from his end of the table. "I knew you wouldn't like it, but I did!"  
  
Barrett and Cid exchanged glances. Uh-oh.  
  
"Well," Tifa said, scowling. "What is Red's real name?"  
  
The wise lion creature rose his head, staring obliquely at Tifa. He tilted his head, causing the headdress of feathers to flutter slightly. "?"  
  
"I-I don't know," Aeris admitted. "I can't remember."  
  
"HA! HA!" Tifa cried out, standing up immediately and pointing an accusing finger at Aeris. "You liar! You aren't Aeris!"  
  
"Tifa, sit down!" Cloud hissed. "It is Aeris!"  
  
"How do you know?" Tifa asked. "How are you so sure?"  
  
"BECAUSE SHE REMEMBERED THE DATE WE HAD!"  
  
A silence ensued across the table. Aeris flushed faintly. Cait Sith chortled. Barrett snorted out his food. Cid's jaw opened. Yuffie giggled happily. Vincent looked somewhat paler. Red smiled slightly. But Tifa got up, and screamed.  
  
The scream woke them all up, and Tifa glared at them all. "You don't understand!" she cried, and she left the table angrily, grabbing her coat. "I'm leaving," she announced. "You people don't understand."  
  
Aeris watched her friend leave with eyes filled with sorrow. Cloud then registered what he had said, then blushed.  
  
"So," Cid began, grinning. "Was it kinky doing it in the gondola?"  
  
"CID!" Yuffie cried, blushing. "GROSSNESS!"  
  
*  
  
Tifa had been wondering for about an hour. She was somewhere in a forest, which freaked her out. Here she was, wondering in a dark, eerie place at night. She shivered slightly, clutching the trench coat closer to herself.  
  
Snap. Something in the bushes.  
  
Tifa turned around, glaring at the small rabbit that innocently hopped out. She slightly sighed in relief, and resumed trekking to nowhere. Just far, far away from that temptress Aeris and Cloud.  
  
*  
  
"We need to go after her!" Aeris cried. "Tifa's stubborn; she won't back down!"  
  
Cait Sith nodded affirmatively. "True. But it's late; a girl like you can't be wondering around the streets at night."  
  
"I'll go with her," Cloud offered, trying to ignore Barrett's smirking.  
  
"Pshaw! You two will be @&#$!" Cid responded carelessly, relighting a cigarette. Yuffie flushed slightly at the colorful word. Even then, she was still slightly embarrassed about his language.  
  
Aeris flushed deeply, and nervously wrung her hands. "No, we won't."  
  
"Right, whatever," Cid said, grinning at her, and wagging a finger. "I just hope you use protection; no need for tiny Cloud's running ar-"  
  
"OLD MAN!" Yuffie yelled for the thirteenth time that hour. "GROSSNESS!"  
  
Cloud brought down his fist upon the dinner table, causing it to shake. Everybody turned to him, surprised. "We're going to get Tifa," he said angrily. "And we're going now."  
  
At that moment, he took Aeris's arm, who came with him with no argument. The two quickly put on their coats, Aeris borrowing Cloud's extra, and they were off into the night.  
  
*  
  
"Cloud," Aeris said, shivering. "I don't like this place."  
  
"We have to find Tifa," Cloud said. "I know she's going through here."  
  
"How are you so sure?" she asked, tilting her head to gaze at the man beside her.  
  
"She's in my blood," he responded. "I can feel her."  
  
Aeris looked down. "Oh. I see."  
  
They didn't talk at all as they finished through that eerie forest.  
  
*  
  
Their chase had lead them to a small cliff. The wind blew fiercely against them, threatening to send Aeris's tiny figure off the edge if it weren't for Cloud's steady hands on her waist. When he first put them on her, she blushed and tried to argue, but he gave a long stare. She couldn't fight against those glowing blue eyes she loved so much.  
  
"Cloud," she gasped. "Are we close?"  
  
"Yea," he responded, grunting slightly as he gave her a push. "We're... there."  
  
They were in a small cave. Darkness hung over it like a thick blanket. An uncanny foreboding aura came from it, making Aeris look at Cloud distressingly. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive," he said, staring ahead. "She's in my blood."  
  
They walked closer, until Aeris noticed something on the floor. Droplets of some red liquid... blood.  
  
"Cloud," she whimpered, tugging on his arm. "Look at the ground."  
  
He did so, and his eyes only slightly widened in worry. He took Aeris in his arms, and began to run toward the center of the cave. "Cloud, let me go!" she cried, but he took no notice of her.  
  
He abruptly stopped, and Aeris followed his gaze. Right against the back wall was Tifa, gazing at them saucily. Her arms were crossed in distaste, and she stood up, then rudely asked "What are you two doing here?"  
  
"Tifa, come back!" Aeris cried. She looked at her with such heartache, Tifa found it hard not to go and give her a hug. But the hate in her heart willed her to stay here, to be defiant.  
  
"Why should I?" she said bitterly.  
  
"Because you're in my blood," Cloud said, stepping forward. "No matter where you run, I'll find you."  
  
Tifa looked up at Cloud fearfully. For once, since the day Aeris had been brought back to life, their first meeting back in the church, she looked like a tiny child. Her crimson eyes were wide with such terror, and her face became smoother and milkier than before. Cloud walked over and hugged her.  
  
Aeris recognized that hug. He had hugged her like that. And she, like Tifa was doing now, had leaned into his embrace. She gulped, and turned to them.  
  
"Sorry to break your moment," she said, her voice almost breaking in some parts. "But we most be going."  
  
"Right," Cloud said, and he let go of Tifa. Aeris hid her smile, and turned to find her face to face with something.  
  
Something very large, very hairy, and very frightening.  
  
*  
  
PREVIEW OF THE NEXT CHAPTER: A mini-chapter! While this is all happening, what are the rest of the gang doing? Well, let's get Cait Sith to narrate the messy mayhem ensuing, and estimate how much Cloud will have to pay for the damage!  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry for the third chapter being so rushed. I wanted to get to Tifa, so this chapter would end. I'm excited about the mini-chapter, hee- hee. Anyways, I might slip in some subtle inside jokes between me and my friend's in the mini-chapter, so don't be surprised if you don't understand it. 


	4. mini story 1! narrated by cait sith

White Flower  
  
MINI CHAPTER ONE  
Narrated by Cait Sith  
  
*  
  
As soon as Cloud and Aeris left, all hell erupted in the hotel room. I couldn't help myself from glancing at Cid with a confused look. My moogle- robot was down right now, so he merely stared blankly at Cid. Yuffie erupted into fresh giggles.  
  
I understood why when I looked to the door.  
  
There was Vincent, wearing nothing but his boxers. He looked rather tired and irritated, but that didn't stop me from blurting out "Put on some clothes!"  
  
The glare he gave me immediately scared me out of my wits, so I merely stared at them with eyes wide open. Red was sleeping peacefully in the corner during this moment. Yuffie was watching Vincent with interest, not bothering to hide her obvious attraction for him. Cid and Barrett chuckled at Yuffie's expression.  
  
"So, Vinnie," she began, already irking him with the adorable nickname. "What brought along the lack of modesty?"  
  
He looked at her hatefully, then smirked ever so slightly. "To tempt you, of course."  
  
Yuffie blushed the brightest red. Knowing Vincent, he was extremely out of character. Cid, being the stupid oaf he is, cried "What about Lucrecia!?"  
  
At that word, Vincent's eyes flashed dangerously. Me, being smart, snuck away to watch the troubles unfurl in the kitchen.  
  
We all knew what happened when Vincent's eyes flash. His skin began to turn a darker shade, and he slowly began to mutate into chaos, a horrible, destrutive beast of massive power. Cid gulped nervously, and laughed in a rather pathetic way.  
  
Chaos turned its head, looming at Yuffie. Another thing; Chaos doesn't know what the battaguabloff its doing. With a single stroke, it smashed Yuffie's head against the coffee table. Of course, Yuffie was only hurt a little, but the emotional hit broke her apart. She began to tear as she grabbed her shiruken.  
  
"Sorry Vinnie!" she wailed as began to hit Chaos repeatedly with the sharp boomerang-ish thing. Chaos stared at her dumb-founded. Cid took her lead and grabbed the nearest long-item, then threw it at Chaos. Not surprisingly, it missed and hit the couch, sticking itself into a cushion. Cid rushed over, and grabbed it, taking some stuffing out also.  
  
Barrett began to shoot at Chaos with his gun arm. Some of the bullets hit the windows and table and doors; the house was beginning to look like a mess. I shook my head. "Uh-oh."  
  
*  
  
After a bit, Vincent had become his normal, stoic self. He managed to dodge Barrett's bullets, and the battle eventually stopped. Yuffie and Red were playing a game of Scrabble, while Cid and Barrett shared a list of dirty words. Vincent just looked at us all blandly. Feeling bored, I squeaked "Anybody want their fortune told?"  
  
"Oo! Me!" Yuffie squealed, bounding over and knocking over the Scrabble board over. Red looked at her with an amused expression as I studied her hand. "Hmmm... uh-huh..."  
  
"What, what is it?!" she asked eagerly. I looked at her a mock sad expression.  
  
"You'll get married the day before you die, then get eaten by various monsters."  
  
"No!" Yuffie cried. I grinned.  
  
"Naw, just kidding. According to the stars, you are in love with someone we know," I said, wrinkling my brow. "And that this person only has feelings of siblingship toward you."  
  
"Oh," Yuffie said dejectedly, studying the ceiling.  
  
"But," I continued. "This person will eventually learn to love you."  
  
"Yay!" she exclaimed, giving my moogle plush a squeeze.  
  
"Hey, who is it, Yuffie?" Cid teased.  
  
Yuffie stuck out her tongue. "Shut it, old man!"  
  
Vincent chuckled hoarsely, raising up. His crimson rag of a cloak swished behind him. "Huh."  
  
Barrett grinned slightly. "Anybody want to play Twister? I spin."  
  
"Me! Me!" Yuffie cried, then she tugged on Vincent's arm. "Vinnie, you play too!"  
  
Cid snickered at the nickname, causing Vincent to glare at him. But he didn't argue with Yuffie, and soon both were tangled in each other's limbs.  
  
"Right hand red," Barrett chortled. Vincent turned the faintest shade of red. I didn't blame him; the only way to move his hand there was to put his hand near Yuffie's chest. His hand brushed it, causing Yuffie to yell out several dirty words.  
  
"Stop acting like Cid!" I cried out irritibly. Yuffie and Cid both glared at me.  
  
"Grossness! I'm becoming like the old man!"  
  
"THAT'S IT! #%$@^!" Cid muttered, grabbing a harpoon. He hurtled it at Yuffie. It didn't hit her, but pierced the carpet near her, causing her to topple over. "Aw, WHY'D YOU DO THAT?" she whined. Vincent looked at us like we were his idiots.  
  
*  
  
Night came again. We had practically stayed up one-and-a-half days. Yuffie was nodding off on the couch, leaning against Red's body. Barrett and Cid snored loudly on the various chairs. Vincent merely sat in the corner, watching us with oblique red eyes.  
  
"Vinnie poo," Yuffie yawned in her sleep. Vincent Valentine looked at her.  
  
"I love you," she continued to murmur.  
  
I swear I saw the smallest hint of a smile on that decieving man's face. *  
  
PREVIEW OF THE NEXT CHAPTER: The battle against the monster! As they escape, they encounter the true bad guy for the first time! This person is so twisted, so evil, he kidnaps Cloud! What will the two girls do to save their man?  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Mini-chapter is over; yay! Cute though, huh? I had to resist the urge to put many random things. I tried to make it as funny as possible without going out of character, but instead it comes off corny and fluffy. Oh well, at least I tried. 


	5. twisted

White Flower  
  
i am the voice keeping you to s a n i t y  
chp. iv  
twisted  
  
*  
  
The monster was disgusting. It was a gruesome red color, almost that of blood but with green added; as if thrown up. Large bulbous eyes watched them sinisterly, heavily lolling limbs banging against the stone as it inched closer to Aeris. Stiff, bristly hair covered its chest, and two fangs hung over its lower jaw, dripping some bitter-smelling liquid.  
  
She was frozen in place, with nothing to protect herself. She had not a weapon, not even her staff! Curse the idiot who stole her chocobo! She closed her eyes tightly, as if believing that if she couldn't see it, it wouldn't hurt her. Instead, it rose a large, clawed paw and swung at her head. She opened her eyes, and braced herself for the pain.  
  
Instead, a lean figure leaped in front of her, swinging the heavy blade it wielded at the monster. It snorted, raising the bleeding claw to its large eyes, as if to examine the wound. The figure turned to Aeris, a worried expression on his face.  
  
"Aeris, go to the back!" Cloud told her, holding his sword in a defensive position. "Tifa, come on!"  
  
Tifa sprang over obediently, balling her hands into fists. Aeris felt even worse; Tifa was able to fight with just her gloves and boots! Why did she have to be so frail, so weak, always the damsel in distress? She puckered out her lower lip in frustration and scooted to the back wall of the cave.  
  
Leaping over at the monster, Tifa struck it quickly in the temple with her feet, quickly dodging the large, scaly tail it tried to hit her with. Cloud striked the tail with immense force, causing it to be sliced in two, rough pieces. The monster howled. Tifa, taking this to her advantage, began to pummel its back.  
  
Aeris noticed that Cloud didn't realize his stomach was open every time he rose his sword to attacked the monster. She was about to warn him when a sickening crunch was heard. The monster struck its left leg against Cloud, causing him to fall back and hit his head against the stone.  
  
"Cloud!" she cried, and she rushed over. Tifa was worried, but she continued to hit the monster, trying to kill it with so much anger in her. Finally, she leapt down, right in front of it. The monster, slightly puzzled at her brash method, was distracted. What a horrible mistake.  
  
Tifa lunged at it, beginning to punch and kick it in the face with tremendous force. She neatly flipped in the air, kicking it in the jaw, and continued to buffet the poor behemoth. She sighed proudly as it weakened.  
  
Aeris at the time, however, was attending to Cloud. He was awake, staring at her with wide, blue eyes, but it hurt for him to breath. She knew this because every time he took a breath, he winced. She ran her hand through his hair reassuringly as she held her other hand over his stomach. "Shh," she consoled as a green light emanated from the palm of her hand.  
  
Cloud recovered quickly afterwards, and sprang up. He looked at Aeris, then said, "Don't get hurt." Then he ran over to continue his battle with the monster.  
  
Aeris felt somewhat angry. He hadn't even bothered to thank her! She bit her lip, and sat there like a child robbed of its candy.  
  
*  
  
With a heavy clang, Cloud's sword struck the monsters neck. A sickening roar echoed through the cave, and it fell heavily upon the floor. Tifa grinned in relief, running over to capture Cloud in a hug. He hugged her back warmly. Both seemed to have forgotten Aeris was there.  
  
"That's okay," she told herself quietly. "I'm okay."  
  
She brushed herself off, and stared at them. They HAD forgotten she was there; they were still hugging! A peaked feeling settled in the pit of her stomach.  
  
"So, you managed to beat my monster," a voice rang through out the cave. Tifa and Cloud sprang away from each other, both flushing slightly. Aeris called out "Who are you?!"  
  
The voice chuckled, and a thin figure escaped from the shadows. It was a short girl, dressed in a scandalous outfit with blues and yellows. She laughed again, as if amused by their weakened state.  
  
"I am Almalda," the girl said smugly, twirling in her dress. She bent down to Cloud, and flicked her finger at him, then lifted her finger.  
  
Cloud began to levitate, and he struggled to get on the ground. Tifa pulled on his foot, trying to get him on the floor, but Aeris walked up to Almalda defiantly.  
  
"Who do you think you are?!" she cried out angrily. "How dare you!"  
  
Aeris summoned a bolt of lightning on Almalda. It broke Cloud's levitation, but it didn't hurt Almalda. She laughed. "Is that all you've got?"  
  
"No!" Aeris said angrily. "Actually, I have much more."  
  
Almalda suddenly looked fearful, but it was soon replaced by an amused grin. "Oh, really?"  
  
"It's not worth wasting on you," Aeris spat out. Almalda raised her eyebrows, then snapped her fingers. Cloud suddenly appeared at her side. Tifa gasped.  
  
"Is he worth it?" Almalda asked. Aeris was speechless. Almalda smirked, and then, she and Cloud were gone.  
  
Tifa finally broke down.  
  
"Cloud! Come back!"  
  
*  
  
Cloud didn't know where he was. Well, he did but not exactly. He did know he was in a prison cell, being watched over a by a teenager in an ugly dress. But he didn't know where this prison cell was. In annoyance, he struck the ground with his fist.  
  
"Temper, temper," Almalda, the girl, teased.  
  
"Shut up, you filth," Cloud spat out, crossing his arms. Almalda smiled sugary-sweet.  
  
"That's not nice," she said. "So let's change the subject. Which of those girls do you like better?"  
  
Cloud glared at the girl hatefully. "They're my friends; I care for them evenly."  
  
"Oh, really?" the girl giggled, conjuring up a hologram of Tifa and Aeris. "It seems to me you liked the busty one."  
  
"Hmph," Cloud snorted. "What do you know?"  
  
"Oh! So you like HER," Almalda cried out triumphantly, pointing to Aeris.  
  
Cloud ignored her. "Whatever."  
  
"Well, isn't that cold," Almalda whimpered. "You must be some heartless babe magnet; I mean, here you are, stringing these poor girls along..."  
  
"Shut up!" Cloud yelled in frustration. "You don't know Tifa! You definitely don't know Aeris! So just leave them out of this!"  
  
"Oh, my poor dear," she clucked, shaking her head. "They are in this. I mean, I need to find out which I can have for my plaything. I wouldn't want to hurt your girlfriend."  
  
"Lay a finger on either and I'll see to your end," he seethed. But Almalda dismissed him with a smile.  
  
"Whatever, Cloud," she said, grinning as she leaned against the wall. "It's either one or both."  
  
Cloud fidgeted, then said softly, "Touch Aeris and die."  
  
"Alright then," Almalda said simply, clicking her fingers. The hologram of Aeris flickered and disappeared. "You'll just have to save Ms. Busts."  
  
*  
  
"GAH! MY GLOVE IS CAUGHT IN THE THORNS!"  
  
"Dang it Tifa, hurry up! We need to rescue Cloud!"  
  
*  
  
PREVIEW OF NEXT CHAPTER: Tifa and Aeris to the rescue! As they battle Almalda, they find out what she's really after, and they escape with Cloud. But Tifa gets captured, and who knows where Almalda will bring her! Especially since if you hurt Almalda, you harm Tifa! Read as Cloud and Aeris formulate a plan to save their friend.  
  
Author's Note: I HATE THIS CHAPTER! I HATE IT! It's so short, and not well- written! But I want to get to some mushy parts! -whimpers- ARGH!! 


	6. desiring

White Flower  
  
but all i ever wanted was to be with you  
chp. v  
desiring  
  
*  
  
She had been traveling with her partner for two days now. Their once angry demeanors had been the source of their exuberance, but as that dwindled, so did their energy. Now they were stuck on a mountain without nourishment. Exhausted, she sat down on a boulder, bending over as she coughed up spots of blood. They peppered the dirt; little red dots in a tan sea.  
  
Her friend placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, we've only got to go a little bit farther," she said encouragingly. But her words were met with dim eyes as her companion rose her heavy head.  
  
"Yes," she croaked. "But how do we know we are going the right way?"  
  
Her associate didn't answer for a bit, and she bent her head again. But the answer came after a while.  
  
"He's in my blood," her crony said, sending a chill up her spine.  
  
As they began to walk again, up that steep mountain, she whispered barely audible words.  
  
"That's what he said," she told the air. "He had said that about you."  
  
*  
  
He had been sitting in that hateful cage for two days. He had been fed, but it was as if he was a pet. His owner, sitting neatly on a wooden chair, watched him as if he were some interesting animal. He was an animal, true, but not her pet.  
  
"Poor, poor baby," she clucked sympathetically, shaking her head. "They'll come soon. And you can watch me beat them up."  
  
"I'll make sure they beat you," he thought in his head. "Even if it's the last thing I do.  
  
*  
  
"Hey, when are those three coming back?" Cait Sith muttered, staring at the clock.  
  
"I bet they're all getting it on; a threesome!" Cid snickered.  
  
"HA! BAD MENTAL IMAGES!" Yuffie exclaimed. "GROSSNESS! @#%$ it, old man!"  
  
"Cid's starting to rub off Yuffie," Red XIII noted. Vincent nodded.  
  
"You're not the first to notice," he mumbled.  
  
*  
  
"Do you think she's in here?" Aeris asked, placing a slender hand upon the strange engraving on the cave wall. Tifa shook her head. "Naw," she said. "I mean, it'd be too obvious. It's like in those TV Shows; you place your hand on the symbol." She moved Aeris's hand to match the small dots on the picture. "And you push," she explained as she pressed against her hand. The cave wall flipped over, exposing an entrance. "... And it usually flips open like that," Tifa finished. "Let's go!"  
  
"Were you planning that?" Aeris asked suspiciously as she and Tifa ran into Almalda's cavern, renewed with feelings of excitement.  
  
"Yeah," Tifa said as she ran ahead of Aeris. "Of course."  
  
*  
  
"So you made it," Almalda said, sitting on a small cliff high above. Her legs were crossed, and she had her head titled. Instead of that horrible dress like last time, she had on a green jumpsuit. Her hair, slightly wavy, fell in cascades around her. "Are you up to saving him?" She pointed to Cloud, grumbling in the cage next to her.  
  
"Are we ever!" Tifa shouted at Almalda. "Bring it on, kid!"  
  
Almalda eyes flashed. "If that's what you wish."  
  
*  
  
Aeris immediately realized she was without a weapon again. Apparently, so did Tifa. She grabbed a nearby branch, yanked it off the dead tree, and handed it to Aeris. "Sorry there's no materia," she muttered apologetically. "It's okay," Aeris responded. "I don't need it; I mastered most, remember?"  
  
"Well, stop your conversing," Almalda cried, interrupting their conversation. She rose her hands a bolt of lightning struck Aeris. She screamed immediately, not used to the surges of pain that ran through her body. Tifa shrieked, and Cloud yelled.  
  
"Hmph," Almalda said as Aeris slumped to the ground. "Is that all? What a pity."  
  
Tifa glowered. "Yo-You monster!"  
  
"Monster?" Almalda questioned, an amused smirk on her face. "Maybe." She rose her hand, and a large flame erupted into Aeris's body. Instead of shrieking, her body convulsed, as if she were possessed by a mad demon. Cloud yelled out again, some inhearable animal scream. Tifa growled, and summoned ice shards to strike Almalda. She shrieked in surprise, and Tifa was amazed to see how weak Almalda really was.  
  
"Let me finish this," a voice said behind Tifa. She looked back to see Aeris, standing up. She held her hand up, and whispered three words: "I summon Odin."  
  
Odin came, on his six-legged horse Sleipner. He ran down the side of the cave, his blade thrusted out at his side. With a sickening 'split', he ran the blade through Almalda. But Almalda did not scream, die, or even feel pain. She smiled, and flickered.  
  
"Did... she?" Tifa gasped. "Did she just flicker?"  
  
Almalda disappeared, and the real Almalda appeared behind them. "Hmph," she said. "You did okay against my hologram. Anyways, I've come to collect my toy." She grabbed Tifa's wrist. "Let's go."  
  
"No!" Tifa cried, pulling away. "Let go!"  
  
Almalda glared, and a strange, crimson glow flowed from her hand onto Tifa. Tifa started, but weakly bowed her head. Almalda smiled, and took Tifa, who followed obediently.  
  
At soon as they were gone, Cloud's cage snapped open. He ran over to Aeris, who had collapsed during Odin's show.  
  
"Aeris!" he cried frantically, shaking her. "Wake up!"  
  
Aeris moaned, and weakly opened her eyes. Cloud muttered some words, and in a show of green lights, she was restored to full health. She looked at Cloud thankfully, then pulled on his arm. "Let's go save Tifa!"  
  
But instead, Cloud captured her in one of his embraces, and she couldn't help leaning into him. He was so warm, so comforting, so... right. She breathed easily, and heard him mutter, "She wasn't supposed to hurt you."  
  
"What?" Aeris asked in alarm, pulling away. "Did you make a deal with her?"  
  
"I'll tell you later," Cloud said abruptly, then changed the subject. "Let's go save Tifa."  
  
As they ran after Almalda, Aeris muttered "I said that!"  
  
*  
  
Almalda grinned as she saw them. Cloud grabbed his sword, and struck Almalda on the wrist. As the blood dripped from the cut, Aeris noticed Tifa was bleeding exactly where Cloud had struck Almalda.  
  
"Cloud stop!" she cried.  
  
"Why?" he asked, gritting his teeth.  
  
"Look at Tifa!" she answered. He looked.  
  
"If you hurt me, you hurt her," Almalda said lazily. "I'll be waiting here until you guys come up with a plan."  
  
"Why are you doing this?" Aeris shouted, trembling in anger.  
  
"... Do you not know? Haven't you realized yet?" she asked. "I am Almalda; I am bored, I need fun. So why not take over the world?" She shrugged. "I mean, I've got all this power..."  
  
"You sick, sick bitch," Cloud scowled.  
  
"Heard it," Almalda said.  
  
"You savage, twisted butt!" Aeris yelled.  
  
"Haven't heard that."  
  
*  
  
The doorbell rang. Vincent looked at the knob fixedly, then strode over. He opened the door, then smirked slightly as he saw Cloud's expression.  
  
"Oh my god. What happened to the hotel room!?"  
  
"Cloud! Calm down!" Aeris consoled, placing a hand on his shoulder. He immediately calmed, much to Vincent's amusement.  
  
"Let's just say things got a bit... hectic," the man revealed. He bowed deeply, and moved out of the way. "So come in; you're paying anyways!"  
  
Aeris giggled slightly as an angry Cloud stormed in.  
  
*  
  
"So you went out to rescue Tifa, and come back Tifa-less?!" Yuffie exclaimed. "What was the point?"  
  
"We need to stay here to think of a plan!" Aeris responded, her voice firm. "We have no choice!"  
  
"Pfft," Cid scoffed. "You two were probably too busy getting it on like dogs in heat."  
  
"DAMMIT CID!" Barrett yelled. "STOP YO' JIBBA-JABBA!"  
  
A silence ensued across the room.  
  
"Barrett?" Yuffie asked tentatively. "What movies were you watching while we were sleeping..?"  
  
*  
  
The beach was peaceful. The moon was the only source of light, and it shone in all its brilliance that evening. Two lone figures sat on the sand, gazing at the water with sorrow-filled eyes. One would guess they had suffered some sort of loss.  
  
"What are we going to do, Cloud?" Aeris asked, wrapping her arms around herself.  
  
"I don't know," he admitted. "Let's think of it tomorrow."  
  
Aeris looked at him, and nodded sadly. "Yeah, you're right, I suppose."  
  
He smiled slightly, and took her small hand in his, then gaze it a gentle squeeze. Aeris blushed slightly, and leaned against him. He let go of her hand for a moment, to her disappointment, and wrapped his arm around her. His other hand took the place of holding her hand.  
  
"Cloud..." she whispered dreamily.  
  
Cloud had to work up so much courage for those few steps, but he didn't expect her to work up enough to do what she did next. She looked at him under her long lashes, green eyes shy, and she kissed him.  
  
It was them and that was it for those few moments. The world was frozen for them; the wind stopped, the noises of the night stopped, and the sea stopped.  
  
He pulled away reluctantly, then looked at her softly. "Aeris..."  
  
"Y'know," she said, smiling cheekily. "You should return the favor."  
  
He smiled, and this time, he kissed her.  
  
*  
  
PREVIEW OF NEXT CHAPTER: Mainly fluff! Aeris and Cloud go shopping for some weapons and other miscellaneous items! Basically, a mini story you can skip if you want.  
  
Author's Note: Wai! I'm sorry, I just had to put in that moment! I based it off a japanese doujinsu. Fwee, I'm so pleased right now. Much different from my once-angry feeling. RAWR! I CAN TAKE ON THE WORLD NOW! -gigglegiggle- 


	7. mini story 2! narrated by yuffie

White Flower  
  
MINI CHAPTER TWO  
Narrated by Yuffie Kiseragi {sp?}  
  
*  
  
Morning in the hotel room was hectic. Aeris and Cait Sith scurried about, dusting the nooks and crannies. Barrett was placed with the job of sewing up the cushions, much to his dislike. Cloud and Cid were sent out to buy new glass for the windows and tables. Me and Red XIII were sweeping the ground, trying to throw out the glass shards and cushion stuffing.  
  
When we finished, the hotel room looked respectable, to say the least. Aeris sighed in relief.  
  
"There we go," she said, putting down her duster. "All done."  
  
"Yaay!" I exclaimed, leaping around. "I hate cleaning."  
  
"At least you didn't have to sew," muttered Barrett. "It's hard to do that when you have a gun for an arm."  
  
Vincent chose that moment to recover from his headache. "Ah..."  
  
"Oi, Vinnie!" I cried, and I leapt onto him like he was a stuffed animal. I heard him wheeze as my weight settled on his stomach.  
  
The door opened, and Cloud stepped in. He smirked slightly at me and Vincent, but that was nothing compared to what Cid did. Cid gasped, covered his eyes with the wrapped glass, and pretended to faint onto the ground. He caught himself mid-way, winked at Vincent, then put down the glass. Aeris merely shook her head.  
  
"I need you ," she said, placing a hand on Cloud's shoulder. "And you," she continued, pointing to Cid. "To put in the glass. I know you can do it."  
  
"Fine, fine," Cid muttered, sticking a cigarette into his mouth. I stuck my tongue out at him, and he told me off with his colorful language.  
  
"Let's go," Cloud said, grabbing the glass. He and Cid headed outside to work on the cutting. A few whirrs were heard, many curses, and Cloud's yell of "SHUT UP, CID!" echoed throughout the room. After a few moments of surprised silence, we all burst into laughter. Well, except for Vinnie and Red. Vinnie remained stoic, but Red had the personality to smile faintly.  
  
Aeris poked her laughing face outside, then we all saw her color slightly. "Oh my..."  
  
We all looked out the broken window, and I laughed loudly.  
  
Cid was pointing at Cloud, laughing hysterically. For Cloud had gotten his stupid suspenders stuck on a bush, and swung his sword at it.  
  
You can pretty much guess what happened.  
  
"I never knew you wore smiley face boxers!" I yelled out.  
  
The glare he gave me would've killed if looks could, but Aeris already was outside. He whirled around, and stared at her embarrassingly. She laughed, and placed her hand on his arm.  
  
"It's okay, Cloud," she managed to gasp between giggles. "Barrett, you take over. Cloud, you go shopping with me."  
  
Cloud nodded obediently, and Barrett went outside, winking at Cloud. Cloud rolled his eyes, but he was smiling a bit.  
  
"This is a job for Agent Yuffie!" I muttered, and I ran off to switch into some of my old clothes.  
  
*  
  
Here I was, dressed in a bright blue pinafore, holding a basket of flowers, following Aeris and spike-head throughout a crowded marketplace. The two hadn't even touched! What a waste! I grumbled to myself, causing me to earn some odd glances.  
  
They finally stopped at a small stall, where several rods were on sale. Ah, they're getting Aeris a weapon!  
  
She and Cloud talked between themselves, then selected a very fine looking rod. It was decorated ornately, with three pairs of materia holes along the length, and several ribbons dangling on the ends. Aeris whacked Cloud with it, and when he muttered in pain, rubbing his red skin, she grinned and nodded at the shopkeeper. She had tried out her weapon on him! I stifled giggles.  
  
I managed to get right behind them as they left, Aeris holding the wax paper-wrapped rod in her hand. She turned to Cloud, a confused expression on her face. "Don't you get the feeling we're being watched?"  
  
I froze and pretended to be offering people flowers. Cloud shook his head. "Naw, must be your imagination."  
  
"...Alright," she said unsurely. "Let's get something to eat."  
  
"Agreed," he responded, and he took her hand and lead her into a small cafe. She seemed pleased, and smiled widely. I wandered in, and went into the restaurant. I had sneaked a change of clothes under my costume, and suddenly I was an old hermit, trying to beg for breakfast. I sat in there, near their table, begging for Gil.  
  
They sat there, and my mouth watered as they're food arrived. I loved the smell of fried fish, and seeing it on Aeris's plate... I could hardly help myself. I waddled up to her, and said "Can I have some?"  
  
Aeris looked at me peculiarly. "You look... familiar."  
  
"Ah, ah, how odd," I managed to stutter as she handed me a piece on her napkin. I bit into it hungrily, and settled in my corner.  
  
They ate in comfortable silence, until Aeris slipped her hand onto Cloud's. He looked rather flustered for a moment, but gently squeezed it. My heart swelled; aw, how cute! I giggled slightly, and thankfully they didn't hear me.  
  
"Cloud," Aeris began. "... I love you."  
  
I nearly choked on my own spit, and stared at the two. Cloud looked shocked, and his blue eyes were wide as saucers.  
  
"Aeris," he responded, stuttering. "A-Ah, I di-didn't kno-know."  
  
"Cloud," she said pleadingly, and placed her hand on his shoulder. Ooo, getting steamy. She looked into his eyes, then locked him in a kiss. To my amusement, he kissed back, taking her hair between his fingers. She broke the kiss after three minutes, yes I counted, and gasped for air. Cloud didn't exactly gasp, but he breathed heavily.  
  
"Aeris," he said, taking her chin between his fingers. "I love you too." And then he kissed her again.  
  
I managed to scamper back home giggling like a school girl. This romance was too much for me! Like a crappy love novel; I sighed in gleefulness.  
  
*  
  
Dinner was silent, and secret glances were exchanged between Aeris and Cloud. I was bubbling with excitement. This was so sweet! I tittered to myself the whole time, giving the group a reason to give me a strange look. Finally, I could barely contain myself.  
  
"How was you widdle date?" I blurted, then I immediately covered my mouth. Aeris and Cloud looked at me, astonished, then Aeris smiled at me.  
  
"You were following us!"  
  
"Aw, she's not denyin' it!" Barrett said, grinning. "So... Cloud... gimme details!"  
  
Cloud only returned his statement with a flustered face and a deadly glare.  
  
I held my head in my hands. Whoops.  
  
*  
  
PREVIEW OF THE NEXT CHAPTER: Almalda goes wrecking various towns, and it's all framed on Tifa. Back at Costa Del Sol, everyone splits up to research on how to snap Tifa out of her trance.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: -is gleeful- Aw! I loved that mushy scene. I'm such a big sap. -sighs- Maybe I need to grow up or something. Or get someone to kiss n.n Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this crappy mini. I didn't try too hard, and I'm not good at romance, but I liked it xD 


	8. desperately

White Flower  
  
fallen so far i can't get back up  
chp. vi  
desperately  
  
*  
  
The fire blazed like a thousand suns, taking everything in its path. The inhabitants of the town screamed and yelled and cried out for mercy, wanting the fire to stop consuming them like this. How it burned, how it hurt, make it stop make it stop.  
  
She did nothing to stop them, merely watched in amusement, a wide grin on her face as she observed her puppet of destruction. This entertained her immensely, and a few who had escaped the flames rose their fists in anger at her.  
  
"Demon child!" they raged, attempting to stop the source of destruction. She emotionlessly moved to the side, easily dodging their ill-aimed shots, then quickly swept them into the flames. They roared as they burned, and the puppeteer smiled.  
  
"I love the smell of burnt flesh."  
  
*  
  
"What are we going to do?" Aeris asked at breakfast. She was picking at Yuffie's attempts at edible pancakes, which had turned out hard, crusty, and black.  
  
"I don't know," Cloud admitted, taking a long draught of milk. He brushed his mouth with his sleeve, then turned to the other inhabitants of the table. "Any ideas?"  
  
"Well, we all know Almalda is framing Tifa for the cause of the destroyed towns," Barrett said gruffly, holding up his copy of the current newspaper. He flipped to another page; a blurry picture shown of fire and a speedy figure, undoubtedly Tifa, issuing jets of blazes from her hands.  
  
"What we need to do is find a counter-spell to Almalda's mind-control spell," Cait Sith interrupted, chewing on two small, dried fish. He licked his fingers, then crossed his legs. "And to do that, we need to go to the library."  
  
"Yeah, you're right," Cloud responded, brows furrowed in concentration. "Maybe we should pair off..."  
  
Six pairs of eyes stared at Cloud. Aeris blinked peculiarly at them from her spot at Cloud's side, then her mouth curved into a little smile. "I'll pair with Vincent," she said, much to Cloud's surprise.  
  
Yuffie stifled giggles, and grabbed Cloud's arm. "Mine!" she exclaimed, hugging him. Cloud looked completely lost, and he didn't like the odd expression on Vincent's face.  
  
"Well, me and Cid'll do some work," Barrett drawled. Cid nodded.  
  
Cait Sith hugged his moogle, then grinned at Red. "We're partnered!"  
  
"Yeah," Cloud said slowly. "Aeris and Vincent, you go to the temple of the ancients, while Barrett and Cid drop me and Yuffie at Wutai. Then, they'll drop Red and Cait Sith at Cosmo Canyon. Then, you guys go check out the library."  
  
"Alright," Aeris said, standing up. She nodded toward Vincent, and he stood up also. "We'll be going."  
  
"Same here," Cloud replied, trying to pry Yuffie's arms around his waist. He settled for her hanging off his arm, and grunted in distaste.  
  
Aeris slightly giggled, but her attention was caught when Red XIII gazed soulfully at her. She blinked slightly. "Aeris," he said in his gruff voice. "I need to talk to you."  
  
Aeris nodded, slightly confused, and followed Red into the bathroom.  
  
*  
  
"Do you love Cloud?" Red asked, staring at her with his beast eyes. The massive head-dress on him slipped a bit as he tilted his head.  
  
"... Yes, I do," Aeris said, more confused than ever.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Does he love you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
Aeris narrowed her eyes. "What exactly are you getting at, Red?"  
  
Red glanced at the ground, then replied, "Actions speak louder than words."  
  
Then he left the bathroom.  
  
Aeris stood there, letting what he said sink in. Then she walked out.  
  
*  
  
Inside the airship was quite an odd sight indeed. Aeris chattered to Vincent, trying to make the quiet man at least become warmer to her, but, alas, she had no luck. Yuffie bounced around the area, gazing down at the ground, Cloud watching her with a bemused smirk. Cait Sith talked to Cid, who was explaining the controls to the cat, mistakingly pulled the wrong lever, and Cid, after yelling out several curses, fixed the problem. Barrett napped lazily on a chair, and Red switched between looking at Aeris and Cloud.  
  
"First stop, Temple of the Ancients!" Cid announced, then fell back into several dirty words as Cait Sith accidentally fell on top of the controls.  
  
*  
  
Let me out! Let me out!  
  
I don't want to do this, why am I doing this?  
  
'Because...  
  
You are a puppet.'  
  
ARGH! STOP TALKING LIKE SEPHIROTH!  
  
...  
  
I just want to go home.  
  
... I want my friends back...  
  
I want Cloud back...  
  
...  
  
'You can't.  
  
You are a puppet.'  
  
...  
  
Say that again and I'll knock your teeth out.  
  
*  
  
PREVIEW OF THE NEXT CHAPTER: Vincent and Aeris's escapade through the temple! Let's see if they find anything of interest.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: -writer's block- Curses to day I started this story! I get NO reviews, and I have writer's block! -angeranger- I refuse to post anymore chapters until I get at least five reviews. I mean, come on! I'm working for no one here ._.; 


	9. saturation

White Flower  
  
my soul is evaporating won't you saturate me?  
  
chp. vii  
saturation  
  
*  
  
The airship interior had progressed slightly as the days wore on; instead of the Industrial-styled control panel and such, it had been upgraded to an almost futuristic style, with glowing screens that made Yuffie stare at them in endless wonder. Facing the window was a velvet bench, which is where the airsick Aeris gazed at the horizon, eyes slightly cross-eyed as she suppressed an upset stomach. Cloud himself watched her from a distance, only slightly hearing the complaints Cid uttered as he attempted to steer the ship. Barrett exchanged deep thoughts with Red, wisdom barely allowing it self to be shown. Cait Sith listened, lost as they discussed theories too advanced for his robotical and simplistic thinking, occasionally cowering as a few brash words were exchanged. But the most peculiar behavior Cloud observed, after only tearing his eyes away from his beloved, was Vincent's.  
  
The mysterious man had settled himself into a revolving chair, casually observing the scene with eerie eyes that Cloud had managed to avoid looking into after more than a year. The long, raven hair brushed the strong eyebrows, grazing the tip of his prominent nose, and the crimson bandanna he tied around his head was instead wrapped around his wrist, absently brushing the golden claw. Cloud had always known Vincent was handsome, abnormally so, but Cloud had never felt threatened by it.  
  
But he felt threatened now; following Vincent's gaze and seeing it rest upon the lovely lady Aeris.  
  
He forced himself to swallow, an old, nervous habit, then grasped his gaze and placed it somewhere else.  
  
He spent the rest of the hour watching Yuffie mess with the controls and hearing Cid cuss at her loudly.  
  
*  
  
The airship came to a solid stop, causing Aeris to slightly falter and upset her stomach more. She grasped the fine, velveteen fabric and clawed it desperately, as if it would rid herself of that awful pain. She felt feverish, very feverish; the air inside the ship was musty and something had messed her up.  
  
She felt strong hands on her back. "Don't worry, Aeris. We're here at the temple. We'll get you out soon."  
  
She allowed herself to smile, then her world hummed into a delightful blackness.  
  
*  
  
"She's passed out!" Vincent yelled. Everyone turned, almost surprised at the volume he had used, but a quick glance at Aeris told them to ask questions later. Cloud immediately headed toward Aeris, smoothing away her brown hair and feeling her forehead; it was hot to the touch, and he winced slightly to feel her heat.  
  
Yuffie walked over, eyes fearful. "Can't we use a potion?"  
  
"We can try," Barrett replied. Cait Sith perked up and bounced to the storeroom, rummaging through the items.  
  
"She has a bad fever," Cloud muttered. "Someone get some water... quick!"  
  
But someone had already thought that. Vincent's hair ran sleekly along his back and shoulders; his bandanna was soaking wet. He wrung out some of the water, and then placed it gently on Aeris's head. For some reason, Cloud didn't like this at all; it disturbed him.  
  
Aeris coughed slightly and twitched to feel the cold cloth on her forehead, but Vincent whispered something and she calmed herself. Cloud wanted to do something, because for some reason he felt Vincent was outdoing him. He took Aeris's hand and held it, but it lay limp in his palm.  
  
"Don't touch her!" Vincent hissed. "We need to bring down her fever and your body heat might keep it up. Plus, you don't want to get sick too."  
  
Yuffie turned to stare at Vincent in wonder. Cloud glared at him slightly, but gently placed down Aeris's hand. "Cloud, just... don't listen to him," Yuffie murmured under her breath. "He's... not being himself."  
  
"I realized that," Cloud snapped, pride still hurt from being corrected by the man at least thirty years older than he was.  
  
"It's not your fault," Yuffie responded, looking out the window. There was a nervous, almost sad look in her eyes. "It's not his fault either."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Cloud asked angrily. "What are you walking around?"  
  
"You don't realize it yet, Cloud?" she asked, turning back to him. The light bounced off the glass, so she glowed almost ethereally.  
  
"No, I don't," he muttered, not willing to admit it.  
  
She shrugged, and turned back to the window. "You will soon enough."  
  
*  
  
She opened her eyes, head still slightly dizzy. She was surprised to see it was nighttime; she was still on the couch and everyone had gone to the sleeping quarters. Feeling rather alone, she sat up, hugging herself.  
  
She felt a cold, metal claw on her back. "Go to sleep, Aeris. You have a fever."  
  
She turned to Vincent. His hair was loose and he looked somewhat tired. "What happened to your bandanna?" she asked.  
  
He motioned to her left, and she looked at the small pile the cloth had arranged itself when it had fallen off her forehead.  
  
"You really didn't need to help me, Vincent," she asked, slightly embarrassed.  
  
He didn't answer, only looked out the window. The sky was brilliantly lit that night, stars twinkling upon the velvet blackness. Aeris could see the temple ruins slightly in the dark, the waters reflecting the glowing sphere that hung in the sky.  
  
"It's... pretty, isn't it?" Aeris asked idly, not exactly expecting an answer.  
  
"It is." He turned around to face her, leaning against the glass. "Lucrezia... used to tell me about how she wanted to come here."  
  
Aeris remained silent, but he continued.  
  
"She... loved pretty things. She was pretty herself: long, brown hair... really blue eyes. She never did get to go out much though," he said softly. "Hojo saw to that. But she always used to talk to me about going places. I promised her I'd bring her here."  
  
"Did you?" she asked tentatively, almost afraid of the answer.  
  
"No." The words were blunt, falling into the tension between them like heavy weights.  
  
Aeris was going to say something, but the words would not come out. Vincent brushed away her reaction. "It's okay. I... am glad I got to meet her. She made me realize I wasn't too cold." He laughed slightly, one of those hollows laugh that made Aeris's skin tingle every time. "After Sephiroth was born, she never was too healthy. Her frame was too small for her to give birth. Internal complications, Hojo put it."  
  
"Did you ever forgive him?"  
  
"Nope. Probably never will. The bastard ruined her."  
  
She looked outside. "I forgave Hojo."  
  
He turned to her. "What?"  
  
"I mean, only because I felt a sort of pity for him. He was twisted. Malicious, unseeing. He didn't really know, did he?" She smiled at the sky. "Of course I'll never forgive him for killing my Dad... never forgive him for killing my mom..." She was quiet. "She fell under his feet, even though he was a million miles away: she still died. I'll never forgive him for those things, but for his insanity, yes I can forgive him."  
  
Vincent listened to her, and offered no response for a few moments. Aeris lay down again.  
  
"I'm going to sleep now."  
  
Silence.  
  
When she closed her eyes, she dreamt of Vincent holding her hand.  
  
*  
  
Author's Note: haha, a teeeaase! Anyways, I don't want to put up previews of the next chapter anymore. Time to get suspenseful. cackle, cackle 


End file.
